Dangerously trained TK
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Brexile in ADB
Programs: BA, TK, HHonours, Le Club, Best Western Rewards
Posts: 7,067
Dangerously trained TK
Just got off TK 2335 (Izmir to Istanbul)
Dont get me wrong the crew service was excellent, but their enforcement of safety rules actually scares me.
First off a pax was not told to stow here laptop during take off. Later as the crew prepared the cabin for landing, three times they walked past the pax and ignored the laptop. I eventually pointed this out, the crew member checked with the woman and sweetly informed me it was in flight safe mode....
The crew member did then go and check the rules and came and told the pax to put the laptop away.
Then once the flight had landed, the aircraft paused on the taxi way. About a third of pax got up, opened the lockers and stood in the aisle. The crew did nothing as the aircraft continued to taxi to a remote stand. You can imagine how effective the breaks are in a 737. It can stop almost instantly if the pilot puts the breaks on hard.There is a very real danger. On another airline I was on the pilots stopped a 777 blocking a taxi way at LHR because a pax had got up to go to the toilet.
I have grave worries about the safety of TK, if they can't get the basics right, in a highly visible situation, what about the other harder areas which we can't see?
Dont get me wrong the crew service was excellent, but their enforcement of safety rules actually scares me.
First off a pax was not told to stow here laptop during take off. Later as the crew prepared the cabin for landing, three times they walked past the pax and ignored the laptop. I eventually pointed this out, the crew member checked with the woman and sweetly informed me it was in flight safe mode....
The crew member did then go and check the rules and came and told the pax to put the laptop away.
Then once the flight had landed, the aircraft paused on the taxi way. About a third of pax got up, opened the lockers and stood in the aisle. The crew did nothing as the aircraft continued to taxi to a remote stand. You can imagine how effective the breaks are in a 737. It can stop almost instantly if the pilot puts the breaks on hard.There is a very real danger. On another airline I was on the pilots stopped a 777 blocking a taxi way at LHR because a pax had got up to go to the toilet.
I have grave worries about the safety of TK, if they can't get the basics right, in a highly visible situation, what about the other harder areas which we can't see?
#3
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: NRT / HND
Programs: AA EXP, NH Plat, Former UA 1K
Posts: 5,496
TK has been like this as long as I've been flying them. Safety enforcement is hit or miss. Back when they had Comfort Class, you had half of the seats reclined with the video screens deployed on many flights during takeoff and landing.
#4
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Jerusalem
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 1,281
Unfortunately, I have to agree with that.
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: CPH
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For me it's a mixed bag, sometimes they are beyond international standard - such as demanding my 2 10-11 years old kids not to sit in a row on their own (done that with many other airlines - e.g. LH) and at the same time they don't care about other things like the laptop incident (there's a similar thread at the UA forum talking about exactly the same thing!).
#6
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: ZRH / YUL
Programs: UA, TK, Starwood > Marriott, Hilton, Accor
Posts: 7,281
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Brexile in ADB
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And when a TK aircraft collides with a safe airline because the TK pilot does not follow standard safety procedure?
#8
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Middle Earth, and often worse
Programs: BAEC Silver, A3 Gold
Posts: 2,164
By the way what do you mean by a safe airline? What made them safe - the fact that they were non-TK?
In spite of your alleged concerns, there have been lots of TK flights today and no mishaps. ALL airlines are vulnerable to "human error" and we all have read of such incidents - with all sorts of airlines from all sorts of countries (developed and developing).
That DOES NOT mean that folks don't fly. They still do - even with TK.
I look forward to my flights with TK in December, and with BA too, and with WS - just to name 3.....
#9
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: ZRH / YUL
Programs: UA, TK, Starwood > Marriott, Hilton, Accor
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I believe Worchester is dealing in hypotheticals here. And if the possibility worries him/her, they should definitely stay in their house and not leave... oh, but what if a TK plane crashed on the house?
Either way, the bigger picture here is one of a safety culture. I don't know what is going on at TK behind the cockpit doors and below the wing (=maintenance), but I can definitely say that in my many flights with them, a safety culture in the cabin was largely absent. This is evidenced in many of the F/A "misses" such as described by the OP that I personally witnessed. (There was also a previous thread about such things somewhere...)
The fact that I have just requalified for TK E+ while flying TK shows that I am not overly concerned about people not fastening their seatbelts, keeping their seats reclined, leaving bags in the bulkhead, keeping their phones connected etc etc.
But if you do - TK is not for you.
Either way, the bigger picture here is one of a safety culture. I don't know what is going on at TK behind the cockpit doors and below the wing (=maintenance), but I can definitely say that in my many flights with them, a safety culture in the cabin was largely absent. This is evidenced in many of the F/A "misses" such as described by the OP that I personally witnessed. (There was also a previous thread about such things somewhere...)
The fact that I have just requalified for TK E+ while flying TK shows that I am not overly concerned about people not fastening their seatbelts, keeping their seats reclined, leaving bags in the bulkhead, keeping their phones connected etc etc.
But if you do - TK is not for you.
#10
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: AA Million Miler, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 94
Reading this and laughing. I have flown my share of TK flights - lots of fun in the random enforcement of rules. My favorite was my arrival in MXP when half the plane got up and opened the bins while still taxiing and refused to sit down when told to - repeatedly. The pilot did slam on the brakes - talk about stopping on a dime. Everything and everyone went flying everywhere - and I really believe it was done in frustration.
#11
Original Poster
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It's frustrating. TK I happily concede is by a long way the best service of airlines I fly. I wish it was safer though.
It's easy to say just fly someone else. But what kind of answer is that? Do Turks and those who fly TK not deserve safety? Are they less important than passengers on other airlines? Without wishing to drift onto OMNI territory Turkey is past the point where it should make do with third world safety standards.
It's easy to say just fly someone else. But what kind of answer is that? Do Turks and those who fly TK not deserve safety? Are they less important than passengers on other airlines? Without wishing to drift onto OMNI territory Turkey is past the point where it should make do with third world safety standards.
#12
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Middle Earth, and often worse
Programs: BAEC Silver, A3 Gold
Posts: 2,164
It's frustrating. TK I happily concede is by a long way the best service of airlines I fly. I wish it was safer though.
It's easy to say just fly someone else. But what kind of answer is that? Do Turks and those who fly TK not deserve safety? Are they less important than passengers on other airlines? Without wishing to drift onto OMNI territory Turkey is past the point where it should make do with third world safety standards.
It's easy to say just fly someone else. But what kind of answer is that? Do Turks and those who fly TK not deserve safety? Are they less important than passengers on other airlines? Without wishing to drift onto OMNI territory Turkey is past the point where it should make do with third world safety standards.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/201...rt_a_23243593/
With your personal concerns about safety, and with events happening everywhere (and NOT hypothetically), how do you ever manage to get out of bed?
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Brexile in ADB
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OTOH, be careful with flying anywhere - or with driving a vehicle too. Refer to the QF aircraft (on the ground) hitting a truck (also on the ground ) at an Australian airport the other day. One of many news links is
http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/201...rt_a_23243593/
With your personal concerns about safety, and with events happening everywhere (and NOT hypothetically), how do you ever manage to get out of bed?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/201...rt_a_23243593/
With your personal concerns about safety, and with events happening everywhere (and NOT hypothetically), how do you ever manage to get out of bed?
This is no argument at all. You seem to be defending rule breaking which it totally the wrong attitude.
Of course, I won't stop driving, but I will make sure my car is serviced, that the tires are not bald, and that everyone wears a seatbelt. That's just sensible risk mitigation.
In aviation defending a sloppy safety is indefensible.